Image

Elias Allahyari

Senior Associate

Email

elias.allahyari@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 20 7655 5722

Offices

London

V-CARD
Elias advises financial service firms, corporates, and their clients on a broad range of UK and international financial regulatory matters. His practice includes advisory and transactional work in the banking, brokerage, derivatives, commodities and other financial sectors in the UK and EU.

Elias's clients include many of the world's leading investment banks, as well as FinTechs, hedge funds, fund managers, exchanges, clearing houses, cryptoasset businesses, benchmark administrators and trading platforms.

Elias is a trusted advisor to innovative financial services providers and has a growing sustainable finance regulatory practice. Elias advises clients on the implementation of UK and EU regulatory reforms (e.g., in respect of MiFID II, EMIR, PSD2, MAR, CSDR, FSMA, the RAO, financial promotions, securitisations, public offerings, capital, recovery & resolution, governance, and anti-money laundering issues) and on the post-Brexit UK regulatory landscape. He also advises clients on ADGM and DIFC financial services regulations.

Elias regularly assists clients with regulatory authorisations and licensing, structuring, the launch of regulated products and business lines, the facilitation of inbound and outbound business in the UK and EU, change of control, compliance policies and procedures, sanctions compliance, client agreements and terms of business, incident management, investigations, enforcement and financial services disputes work.

Elias is a member of TheCityUK's Next Generation Leadership Council.

Experience

Representative matters

  • Morgan Stanley, Citi, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and numerous hedge funds on the SVB and Credit Suisse situations.
  • Danske Bank A/S in investigations by DOJ, the SEC, and Danish criminal authorities arising from its former Estonian branch, resulting in a USD 2 billion global settlement.
  • A major financial technology group in connection with U.K. and EEA regulatory and legal issues, including compliance with PSD2 and the U.K. Payment Services Regulations, AML, consumer credit rules, Brexit contingency preparations and obtaining authorisation in an EU member state.
  • A major banking group in connection with post-Brexit structuring, to facilitate the carrying on of activities in the U.K. and the EEA.
  • A major banking group in connection with it obtaining U.K. authorization, including ongoing advice on the U.K. senior managers regime.
  • Various financial institutions and corporates on compliance with anti-money laundering, sanctions and cybersecurity compliance.
  • Various financial and cloud-based institutions on business process, IT and offshore outsourcings.
  • Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on the establishment and launch of two new trading units: ADNOC Trading and ADNOC Global Trading.
  • The ICE group on its U.K. exchange and clearing businesses.
  • A U.K. investment firm in connection with Brexit contingency planning.
  • Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) on its legal regime and legislation.
  • A cryptoasset exchange on AML registration requirements and FCA authorization.
  • Financial institutions on the legal and regulatory treatment of voluntary carbon credits in the U.K. and EU.
  • A Middle Eastern country on the establishment of a new legal regime within its territory.
  • Various institutions in relation to U.K. and EU sanctions, including recent Russian sanctions.
  • Various issuers and banks in connection with selling restrictions, stabilisation, corporate publicity and market abuse issues in connection with equity and debt offerings.
  • Various financial institutions in connection with regulatory advisory work, including perimeter issues, authorisation requirements, conduct of business, data protection issues, financial promotion restrictions, AML and other market conduct requirements.
  • EEA, U.K. and third country financial institutions and corporates in connection with the impact of various developments in European legislation, including MiFID II, the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive, the settlement discipline regime and central counterparty recovery and resolution regulations.
  • Industry bodies in connection with the EU's blocking regulation in respect of extraterritorial sanctions, the Central Securities Depository Regulation and the impacts of financial regulation on the spot markets for commodities and emission allowances.

Qualifications

Admissions

Solicitor, England and Wales

Academic

Kaplan Law School, LPC

University College London, LLB (Hons) (First Class)

Languages

English, Swedish, Farsi
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.